50 British Artillery Matériel. (January, 
(2.) Mounting guns for subsidiary defence of existing 
heavy sea batteries ; they allude more particularly to 
such works as Picklecombe, Bovisand, &c., the guns 
of which being essentially armour piercers, should 
have associated with them guns of lighter calibre for 
shell fire. 
(3.) The defence of the great commercial harbours. 
The expense of mounting a few 12-ton or possibly heavier 
guns on Moncrieff carriages would be considerably less than 
placing them behind shields or in casemates; while the in- 
creased protection afforded to the men over that of guns 
en barbette would be a matter of great importance. 
With regard to the employment of the Moncrieff system 
for mounting guns of large calibre on sea defences, the 
Committee consider that it might be resorted to with advan- 
tage, but the extent of its application necessarily depends 
upon local and other considerations, of which they can have 
no cognizance. 
Should it, however, be contemplated to project new works 
for the defence of important positions, or to supplement 
existing works by others of the present type, the Committee 
are strongly of opinion that the designs should be re-con- 
sidered with a view to the employment of the Moncrieff 
carriage. 
XIII. The manufacture of 8-inch rifled muzzle-loading 
howitzers for the service is being proceeded with. 
1. As a howitzer, this piece will be usually employed in 
destroying earth works, in breeching unseen defences, or in 
shelling buildings, ships, &c. 
In these operations the elevation will seldom exceed 20°, 
and, as a rule, high charges will be used, the shells being 
designed to burst on impact, or by means of a percussion 
fuze. 
2. As a mortar, it will be used in bombarding magazines 
or other bomb-proof buildings; in dropping shells upon the 
decks of vessels; in dislodging troops from cover, or in 
destroying matériel behind cover, &c. 
In these operations the elevation may vary from 20° to 40°, 
or even higher angles, and the charges from the highest to 
the lowest. Asa rule, however, low charges will seldom be 
used, except in dislodging troops from under cover, and 
under these circumstances a time fuze will generally be 
found most effective. 
Elongated projectiles falling at angles of 50° to 70°, or 
under conditions of vertical fire, will enter the ground for 
————— 
